Multiple instrument playing device



F. HESS MULTIPLE INSTRUMENT PLAYING DEVICE Filed May 20, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 o fli- 12 I04 98 L milk 34AM 52 58 U ill 5 =I$#l# 2a 54 L} C 1 :51 30' a4 Aiii? 46 32 70 42 as J i A: #3:: 56 as ill Frank/fess 38 INVENTOR.

Nov. 17, 1959 F. HESS 2,912,894

MULTIPLE INSTRUMENT PLAYING DEVICE Filed May 20, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 98 F1 la F ran/r Hess INVENTOR.

ma... BY v vM Nov. 17, 1959 F. HESS MULTIPLE INSTRUMENT PLAYING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 20, 1957 Fig. 2

Fran k Hess INVENTOR. m BY a...

Nov. 17, 1959 F -uzss 2,912,894

MULTIPLE INSTRUMENT PLAYING DEVICE Filed May 20, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig.3 24

Fig. 6

Frank Hess INVENTOR.

Nov. 17, 1959 F. HESS 2,912,894

MULTIPLE INSTRUMENT PLAYING DEVICE Filed May 20, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 g Fig.5

Frank Hess i26 INVENTOR. v 5%; BY W 5 1,

United States Patent 2,912,894 MULTIPLE INSTRUMENT PLAYING DEVICE Frank Hess, Indianapolis, Ind. Application May 20, 1957, Serial No. 660,345 7 Claims. (Cl. 84-171) This invention relates to an electrical musical combination instrument and more particularly to a multiple instrument playing arrangement whereby a number of drums and other instruments can be played.

The concept of this invention features an arrangement of parts whereby a number of musical instruments can be played at various tempos and rhythms. Thus, various types of musical compositions can be played at various tempos.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of an electrical .musical instrument flexible enough to play various types of Latin American rhythms while being equally adaptable for use in playing other types of musical works.

Still further objects and features of this invention reside in the provision of an electrical musical instrument that is easy to operate, eflicient in use, and which employs simple circuit arrangements thereby being substantially foolproof.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this electrical musical instrument, preferred arrangements of parts being shown in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

Figures 1 and 1A are schematic wiring diagrams of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating the housing in which the major control portions of the invention are mounted illustrating the simplicity of the controls for the invention;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional View in an enlarged scale of the housing and illustrating the interior thereof and the various cams utilized in the invention for holding the rhythm contacts;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view in an enlarged scale illustrating the construction of the cam components in the interior of the housing in detail;

Figure 5 is an elevational view in a reduced scale with a portion of the housing broken away illustrating gear arrangements in the invention;

Figure 6 is a schematic wiring diagram of an alternate arrangement employing a magnetic relay in view of a thyratron tube for controlling the energization of the electro-magnetic means for actuating the striker of each instrument; and

Figure 7 is a detailed diagram of the electro-magnetic means utilized for actuating the striker of one of the instruments.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, and with initial attention directed to Figures 1 and 1A, reference numerals 10 and 12 generally designate the supply lines connected to a source of electrical power. A master control switch 14 controls the supply of electrical current to the primary 16 of a transformer 18 having a secondary 20. A secondary control switch 22 is provided for controlling the supply of electrical power to the musical instrument utilized in the invention.

By means of an electric drive motor 24, a plurality of drive shafts 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36', and 38 are driven. The drive motor drives a motor shaft 40 which in turn drives a gear 42 and through any suitable gearing arrangement such as that shown best in Figure 1, through gears such as indicated at 44, 46, 48, the gears 50 and 52 are respectively driven. These gears are interengaged with other gears 54, 56 which are in turn engaged by gears 58 and 60, the gear 58 being meshed with gear 62. The shafts are connected to the gears and are therefore driven at different relative rates.

Mounted on the shafts 26 through 38, are sets of earns 64, 66, 68, 70, 72, 74, and 76, there being any suitable number of cams and each of the cams is provided with a pair of contacts, the contacts being arranged in pairs as indicated at 78, 80, 82, 84, 86, 88, and 90.

Connected to the secondary 20 of the transformer 18 are conductors 98 and 100 as well as conductor 102 connected to a tap 104 on the secondary 20. Connected to the conductor 98 are the cathodes 105, 106, 108, 110, 112, 114, 116 of thyratron tubes 118, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, and 130. Conductor 100 has connected thereto the movable contact 132 of a three position push button type switch 134 so arranged as to control the cam connections operative through the common conductor 136 through switches 138, 140, 142, 144, 146, 148 and 150. Connected to the switches 138, etc., are the grids 152, 154, 156, 158, 160, 162 and 164 of the tubes 118, etc. Each of the tubes 118, etc., have grids as at 166 for tube 118, connected to a common conductor 102 for receiving a low voltage potential continuously even though the switches 138, 140, etc., are open. An indicator lamp 168 is connected across conductors 98 and 100 to show that switch 22 is either in an opened or closed position.

Connected to the plates 170, 172, 174, 176, 178, and 182 of the tubes 118, etc., are conductors 184, 186, 188, 190, 192, 194, and 196, leading to the electro-magnetic means 198, 200, 202, 204, 206, 208, and 210 for actuating the strikers 212, 214, 216, 218, 220, 222 and 224 of the conga drum 226, the big bongo drum 228, the small bongo drum 230, the marracas 232, the cowbell 234, and the tambourine 236. The electro-magnetic means 198, 200, etc., are connected through conductors 238, 240, 242, 244, 246, 248 and 250 to the cathodes 105, 106, etc., of the thyratron tubes. These thyratron tubes are preferably of a type No. 885 and are arranged to fire when there is a potential on the grids 152, 154, etc.

Controlling the supply of electrical current to the common conductor 136 are a plurality of rhythm switches 260, 262, 264, 266, and 268, for controlling rumba, tango, mombo, balero and samba type rhythm cams, it being noted that when switch 260, for example, is closed, only the rhythm caused by the opening and closing of the sets of contacts 78 will control the supply of electrical current to the common conductor 136 and hence to the switches 138, etc., and then to the grids 152, etc., controlling the supply of electrical current to the electromagnetic striker operating mechanism 198, etc.

It is noted that the cams and other control mechanisms including the switches may be mounted in or on a suitable housing 300 of any desired shape. In addition to the indicator light 168 a power light 302 may be connected across a source of electrical power for indicating whether the device is receiving power. The motor 24 may drive a cooling fan 304. It is noted that suitable plug-in sockets as indicated at 306 may be provided for simplifying the electrical connections.

As can be seen best in Figure 7, the electro-magnetic means such as the-electro-magnetic means 198 for actuating .theconga drum .or other electrical musical .instrument may be mounted by means ofa suitable bracket 310 adjacent the drum and includes a coil 312 for actuating an armature 314 spring pressed by means of a spring 316 into an initial position. Upon excitation of the coil 312, the armature 314 is drawn toward the drum, pulling down on the adjusted threaded rod 318, which in turn causes the striker 212 to strike the drum. Suitable stops 320 and 322 can be provided for adjusting the position of the striker 212 togain the best effect. Of course, other types of striker arrangements may be contemplated for use in conjunction with the invention. In Figure 5, there is shown the gearing arrangement which can be used in conjunction with the invention, the gear assemblies being clearly visible.

Referring now to the arrangement of parts as shown in Figure 6, it will be noted that the contacts such as are indicatedgenerally at 360 can be opened or closed by means of the .operation of cam 362. The cam controls the flowof electrical power to a relay 364 utilized in lieu of the thyratrons 118, etc. Thus, the contacts 360 control the flow of electrical power to the relay 360 which in turn controls flow of current to the electromagnetic means for actuating the striker as indicated at 366. Of course, the relay 364 needs far less current for actuation thereof than the electro-magnetic means 366 and therefore the thyratron tubes 118, etc., are far more ef cient and more accurate in use than the mechanical relays. The transformer generally indicated at 368 serves the purpose of the transformer 18.

This invention enables a musician to get a uniform Latin rhythm beat of varying tempo for the rhumba, samba, conga, mambo, and other Latin rhythms simply by adjusting the feed selector switch 134 and the switches 260, 262, etc. to the tempo desired. The beat can be further modified by adjusting the positioning of the dance tempo switch 134 controlling the various cams. Then, by closing the switches 138, 140, etc., as desired, theinstruments to be utilized in obtaining the desired rhythm can be employed.

Dance tempo switch 135 provides means for alternately connecting a .big bass drum 211 and a snare trap drum 213 in lieu of the conga drum and the big bongo drum when the invention is not being used for Latin rhythms.

It is to be understood that this invention is equally adaptable for use in other types of rhythms and for actuating other instruments. Further, since numerous modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not intended to limit the invention to the precise embodiments shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be readily resorted to, which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An electrical musical combination comprising a plurality of musical instruments, strikers for said musical instruments associated therewith, electro-magnetic means for actuating said strikers connected to said strikers, cam switch means for exciting said electro-magnetic means connected thereto for actuating selected of said strikers at a selected rhythm, a source of electrical power, a plurality of instrument switches connected between said source of electrical power and said electro-magnetic .means for selecting a striker, and rhythm switches connected between said cam switch means and said instrument switches for selecting the rhythrn'to be applied to said strikers.

2. vAn electrical musical combination comprising a plurality of musical instruments, strikers for said musical instruments associated therewith, electro-magnetic' means 4 for actuating said strikers connected to said strikers, cam switch means for selectively exciting said electro-magnetic means connected thereto for actuating selected of said strikers at a selected rhythm, a source of electrical power, and a plurality of instrument switches connected between said source of electrical power and said electro-magnetic means for selecting a striker, said cam means including a drive motor electrically connected to said source of electrical power, drive shafts connected to and driven by said motor, a plurality of sets of cams mounted on said shafts, a plurality of pairs of contacts opened and closed by said cams, and a set of switches, each switch of said set of switches having the contacts operated by one set of cams of said plurality of'sets of cams electrically connected in series connection therewith.

3. An electrical musical combination comprising a plurality of musical instruments, strikers for said musical instruments associated therewith, .electro-magnetic means for actuating saidistrikers connected to:said strikers, cam .switch means for selectivelyexciting said electro-magnetic means connected thereto for actuating selected of .said strikers at a selectedrhythm, a sourceof electrical power, and a'plurality of instrumentswitches connectedbetween said source of electrical power'and said 'electro-magnetic means forselecting a striker,.said cam.means including power, drive shafts connected to and driven by said motor, a plurality of sets .of .cams mounted on said shafts, .a plurality of pairs of contacts opened and closed by said cams, and a set of switches, each switch of said set of switches having the contacts operated by one set of cams of said plurality of sets of cams electrically connected in series connection therewith, and means connecting said shafts to said motor-for driving .said shafts at varying rates.

4. An electrical musical system for playing a number of musical instruments at various rhythmic rates comprising a source of potential, electromagnetic means operatively associated with each .musical instrument for playing it, switch means including individual switches operable to open and close at diiferent fixed rhythmic rates, selector switches coupled between said source and said individual switches and selectively operable to connect said individual switches to said source, instrument switches coupled to each instrument operating electro magnetic means for selecting instruments to be played, and rhythm switches coupled between said individual switches and said instrument switches for connecting different ones of said individual switches to said instrument switches for selecting diiferent rhythms for playing said instruments.

5. An electrical musical system for playing a number of musical instruments at various rhythmic rates comprising a source of potential, electromagnetic means operatively associated with each musical instrument for playing it, switch means coupled to said source and including individual switches operable to open and close at difierent fixed rhythmic rates, instrument switches coupled to each instrument operating electromagnetic means for selecting instruments to be played, and rhythm switches coupled between said individual switches and said instrument switches for connecting different ones of said individual switches to said instrument switches for selecting difierent rhythms for playing said instruments.

6. An electrical musical system for playing a number of musical instruments at various rhythmic rates comprising a source of potential, electrical means operatively associated with each musical instrument for playing it, means coupled to said source for generating pulses at different fixed rhythmic rates, instrument switches coupled to each instrument operating electrical means -for selecting instruments to be played, and rhythm switches coupled between said generating means and said instrumentswitches for selecting different rhythms for playing said instruments.

7. An electrical musical system for playing a musical instrument at various rhythmic rates comprising a source of potential, electrical means operatively associated with said instrument for playing it, means coupled to said source for generating pulses at different fixed rhythmic rates, and rhythm switches coupled between said generating means and said instrument playing means for selecting different rhythms for playing said instrument.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

